An overheated attic can bake asphalt shingles on the roof and cause them to deteriorate. And it can cause your air conditioner to work harder than it needs to and send your energy bills soaring with the temperature.
How can I cool down my attic?
- Install an Air Conditioning Unit. ...
- Seal the Cracks and Gaps. ...
- Upgrade the Insulation. ...
- Add Ventilation for Improved Circulation. ...
- Install Radiant Barriers. ...
- Install an Attic Fan. ...
- Add Reflective Roofing.
Can a hot attic cause a fire?
Heating Elements
As heat rises, attics are already hot places, especially in the summer when the temperature outside skyrockets. Your heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) may become overheated and catch fire because of the excessive heat .
What happens when attic is too hot?
Ideally, you want to keep your attic temperature within 10-20 degrees of the outside temperature. If the attic gets too hot in the winter, it can cause issues like mold and ice damming . In the summer, an excessively hot attic can cause high utility bills and can damage your roof.
What temperature is too hot for an attic?
Without proper ventilation, hot air becomes trapped between the insulation and the roof. Ideally, your attic should not exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer . Problems related to attics hotter than 130 degrees: It will make it harder to cool your home in the summer.
Does cooling attic help cool your house?
How Insulation Cools Your Attic. Insulation keeps the sun’s heat from radiating into the lower floors, meaning your home will be noticeably cooler . This means your AC won’t have to work quite as hard to maintain a cool internal temperature.
Does opening your attic cool house?
How Does an Attic Get So Hot? Attic temperature is typically controlled through convection, which brings in air from the vents at the roof’s perimeter up through the peak as the hot air rises. Ideally, this would cool your attic to outside temperatures , much like opening all the windows in your house.
Are attic fans a fire hazard?
Just like any electrical appliance, attic fans are susceptible to causing fires . A defective attic fan can overheat and cause a fire. Faulty or loose wiring, aged appliances, and overloaded circuit breakers are other cases of attic fires.
How do you know if your attic is on fire?
There are some pretty common signs that a fire has moved in to the attic/knee-wall area, most notably smoke and fire pushing from the dormers and gable ends . Interior environments where you are experiencing high levels of heat, but cant locate the fire can be indicative of fire concealed in the walls as well.
Why do attic rooms get so hot?
An attic bedroom that lacks proper ventilation will often experience excessive heat problems . ... So if your loft space bedroom is missing ventilation, it’s probably high-time you installed vents for a cooler environment.
What temperature should attic fan be set to?
When it comes to an attic fan’s temperature setting, it’s best to adjust it to anywhere from 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit . It’s impossible to state a single number because your attic can effortlessly soar above 95 degrees (on average).
Will a hot attic make house hot?
A hot attic it makes for a hotter house . This results in higher cooling bills and the need for thicker insulation above the ceiling. Another problem is any ducting in the attic will be heated and the heat will transfer into any the duct and warm any cool air moving through it and into the home.
When should you use attic fan?
An attic fan can be used to cool down your living space any time the air outside is cooler than the air in your home . An attic fan pulls air in through open windows and doors while pushing hot air out of the home through attic vents.
What is the average attic temperature?
Attics can reach temperatures of 150 to 160 degrees F during a summer day , although outside air temperatures are only 95 to 97 degrees F.
Are attic fans a good idea?
Attic fans do really work. They will help to circulate air in your attic and ventilate the space so that it stays closer to the outside temperature. Attics can reach extremely high temperatures in hot, summer months and gather an excessive amount of moisture in the winter. Attic fans will help fight these problems.
How do you know if your attic has enough ventilation?
- Look at your eaves and roof. ...
- Touch your ceiling on a warm, sunny day. ...
- Thick ridges of ice on your eaves in winter are a sign of poor attic ventilation. ...
- Warm air that escapes living space also carries moisture that will condense on rafters or roof sheathing.
